The family-owned retailer focuses on healthy foods and helping pet rescue organizations.

The Animal House, a holistic pet store in Westbrook, will host a grand opening this weekend – some six months after opening in the Westbrook Crossing shopping center off Main Street.

The Westbrook store is the second location for the family-owned company, which has operated a store in Darmariscotta for a decade, gathering regional awards for offering healthy foods and natural pet supplements. The business was recently a finalist in the Institute for Family Business Awards, held earlier this month in Portland.

The company will host an official grand opening in Westbrook Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Since opening in November 2014, the store has also made a name for itself in Westbrook for hosting local pet adoption events for numerous organizations – most of which will be on hand Saturday – including the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, Almost Home, Lucky Pup, the Pixel Fund, and Buddy Up Animal Society.

According to a press release, the grand opening will feature carnival games and prizes for dogs, rescues, free samples, coupons, and sales.

Animal House President Aubrey Martin said Tuesday that working in community outreach is the “cornerstone” of their business.

A ribbon cutting will take place at 11:30 a.m., with Westbrook Mayor Colleen Hilton. Rescue organizations in attendance will be the recipients of a portion of the day’s totals.

Martin said Tuesday that the decision to come to Westbrook was based on filling a need for customers seeking out specialized nutrition for their pets. The store specializes in nutritional consultations.

“Once people found out what we do, then we started taking off,” she said about their local customer base.

Martin said the store has waited to host an official grand opening until the weather was nice. She said opening a new location during a brutal winter was difficult.

“A lot of it is word of mouth,” she said, adding that she set up a vendor booth at Westbrook Together Days, where she handed out small gift bags.

Since coming to Westbrook, The Animal House has partnered with the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland as a satellite for adoptable cats, and has hosted other weekly adoption events for local rescues.

Jeana Roth, the communications director for the Animal Refuge League, said Tuesday that the Animal House also supports the shelter with food and supplies.

“The Animal House has been a wonderful partner to the ARLGP,” she said. “It’s great to have a family-owned, pet supply store in our Westbrook community that provides a healthy and natural selection of supplies for local pet parents.”

The store also hosts a pet food drive for the Westbrook Food Pantry, which, Martin said, has surpassed expectations. The initiative is aimed at helping food insecure families acquire healthy pet food for their animals.

“That has been through-the-roof successful,” she said. “There is an endless need.”

Bill Baker, Westbrook’s assistant city administrator for business and community relations, said this week that the Animal House has been “a great community partner actively engaged in several local initiatives.”

“We are thrilled to have them here and have them be part of this community’s growing reputation in the pet-friendly world that locally includes Idexx and the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland,” he said.

Martin said in a press release that she has had a very positive experience in the Westbrook community.

“We have had a terrific response from customers in the area. It was important to us to find a location that didn’t compete with other family-owned businesses. We offer a really unique product selection. No consumables from China. Nothing with artificial preservatives or colors. Westbrook was a great choice for us and were really happy to be here,” she said.

Dogs on leash are welcome to the grand opening event, Martin said.

Owner Aubrey Martin said The Animal House has waited to host an official grand opening until the weather was nice. The event is Saturday at the store, located in the Westbrook Crossing shopping center.Courtesy photo